Ree Morton's 2009 Drawing Center Exhibition Reveals Early Ecological and Animistic Concerns

"Ree Morton: At the Still Point of the Turning World" was on view at The Drawing Center in New York City from September 18 to December 18, 2009. This exhibition highlighted Morton's drawings and sculptures, showcasing her significant artistic evolution over a decade. Her early 1970s works, characterized by serial repetition, transitioned into plant studies influenced by Neltje Blanchan's 1917 publication, featuring pieces like "Trumpet Weed" (1974). Additionally, her totemic wood block works served as studies for the Whitney installation "To Each Concrete Man." The exhibition also presented "Wood Drawings" from 1971 and "Untitled (stretcher piece)," engaging with themes of ecology and formal experimentation while probing her artistic motivations.